A Helping Hand: Celia Dale

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Mrs Fingal takes a liking to Mr Evans, and soon the suggestion is made that she move out of Lena's house in Reading, and into the room at the Evans's recently vacated by Auntie Flo. In the second chapter of the book there is a bit written in Italian and then towards the end of the book a few more conversations in Italian. By the end of the holiday, a plan is in place for Mrs Fingal to go and live with the Evanses – an arrangement that seems to suit everyone concerned.

Right from the very start, Dale hints at the Evanses’ true motivations for befriending these fellow Brits, with Maisie targeting Lena while Josh works his magic on Mrs F. Moreover, Mrs Fingal is equally unhappy with Lena, viewing her as common, self-centred, and hard – a perception she duly shares with Josh.

Auntie Flo had lived with them for years until her death, leaving the Evans's her Estate, such as it was. In Helping with Enquiries there are only three main protagonists, their story revolving around the murder of the mother.

Hmm, I think comparing anything to Shirley Jackson sets a certain precedent, and whilst this was definitely similar in ways it didn’t quite deliver on the delicious sinister energy I was hoping for (though it was sinister but not quite with the same vibes! Line by line, you're entertained by the characters, the setting and the dialogue itself - - but there's that underlying creepiness.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. For instance, we see them sizing up Mrs Fingal’s situation, working out how much the old lady might be worth and establishing whether there are any other living relatives besides Lena.

In fact, I wondered if you might have read it already, especially as Celia Fremlin’s name keep popping up as a potential soul sister to Dale. It is a frightening prospect and Dale realises how easily the seam of respectability can be played by fraudsters out for their own ends. In essence, Maisie treats the old lady like a child, confining her to bed for long periods and scolding her for the little accidents and spillages that occur. After all, the Evanses don’t want Lena getting a whiff of what’s actually happening back at the house in case she disturbs things. Nevertheless, everything I’ve heard about her work makes me think she’s in a similar vein – all the more so as you’ve backed this up!Mr and Mrs Evans are having a little holiday in Italy when the meet old Mrs Fingal and her niece Lena. Dale shows what can be done with a crime novel, that it needn’t be bloody murder, bank heists, or kidnappings. Just writing about it was making me feel anxious, never mind the experience of reading the book itself!

At first, all is sweetness and light at the Evanses following Mrs Fingal’s arrival; but slowly and stealthily, the tone beings to change. It’s such a pleasure reading one of your reviews when you find a book you are so enthusiastic about! She’s settled into our little home so well that I think it’s really only kind to leave her to her own little ways and routines. while it’s very obvious this was written in the 60’s and some of the old british terms went right over my head, this story fully unnerved me.

With her beloved husband, Stanley, long deceased, Mrs Fingal has missed the little attentions of a male companion – a role that Josh is only too willing to pick up. Fingal smiles as ‘gleefully’ as a ‘bride’; and Lena and Mrs Evans make up the bed with a rubber sheet in case of ‘disgusting’ accidents. It’s an icily compelling tale of greed and deception, stealthily executed amidst carefully orchestrated conversations and endless cups of tea.